Apparatus for and method of cooling glass articles



Aug. 15, 1950 H. c. MaccoNNl-zu., JR 2,519,059

APPARATUS FQRAND METHOD oF cooLING GLASS 'ARTICLES Filed sept. 1o, 194s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EWI Aug. 15, 1950 H. c. MaOcQNNELl., JR

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD 0F COOLING GLASS ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. lO, 1945 Patented ug. l5, 1.95.()

APPARATUS Fon AND METHOD oF foo oLIN-G GLASS ARTICLES Hugh C. MacConnell, Jr., West Hartford, Conn.,

assignor to Hartford-Empire iCompany, Hartford, lConn., a corporation of Delaware Application September 110, 1943, Serial No. 501,833

(ICI. 49-45) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for and methods of applying cooling fluid to the surfaces: of glass articles, especially those, such as container closure caps,which vhave shallow, open cavitiestherein, to effect tempering of the articles. i "1 An object of the present invention is to improve glass article cooling apparatus of the kind which has means for blowinga cooling iiuid,

` usually air, upwardly against the under surface of a .hot glass article so that the 'cooling fluid serves also as a fluid undersupport for the article. Such apparatus may include a lmeans for discharging cooling fluid upon the portions of the surface of the article'not reached by the upwardly directed cooling' fluid. One such apparatus is disclosed in Patent No. 2,284,796, of June 2, 1942, to W. K. Berthold.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of cooling glass articles of the character described so as to temper them in such a way and by such means as to assure substantially like conditions ofstrain throughout all corresponding portions of the tempered article. According to the present invention, the hot glass article to be tempered is caused to spin or rotate about its vertical aXis'whil-e it is being cooled and supported by upwardly directed cooling fluid froman underneath source and also is being cooled by downwardly directed cooling fluid from an overhead source. The spinning or rotation of the article about its vertical axis may be eiected by part of the cooling fluid and it is an object of the invention to provide simple, reliable and effective means for and a novel way of utilizing cooling uid to accomplish this result.v

Further objects of and advantages of the invention will be pointed out or will become apparent from thefollowing description of illustrative practicalembodimentsof the invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Figure 1 is a View, mainly in vertical section and fragmentary in part, showing one form of apparatus, having upper and lower .spaced cooling fluid discharge units for applying cooling uid to an interposed glass cap to cool the latter while it lrests upon cooling uid from the lower discharge lunit and is Yrotated about its vertical axis by cooling fluid from the upper discharge unit;

, Fig. 2 is a View substantially along the line 2--2 of.v Fig. 1, vlooking upward as indicated by the arrows; y Y

' Fig. 3 is ua section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a second forni of apparatus having upper and lower fluid` discharge unitsior cooling and rotating an interposed-glass cap; and

Fig. 5 is a sectionalong the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

12 |Claims.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the lower fluid discharge or blowing unit, indicated generally at IG, comprises a base block Il, mounted upon a support l2, and carrying an upstanding or upwardly projecting hollow fluid `discharge or blowing head i3. The head i3 might be integral with the base block Il but is shown as having been formed as a separate member having an externally enlarged lower end portion 13a fitting within a recessed upper portion l la, of the base block and held therein by suitable fastening means, such as the set screw Ill. The head I3 has a substantially flat top portion 13b and may be rounded or curved more or less arcuately, as at 13o, at the juncture of its top portion with its side wall.

A passage I5 in the base block is in open communication at its inner end with a chamber IE within the head I3. The outer end portion of the passage i5 may be screw threaded for connection, as at l1, with a screw threaded end portion of a cooling fluid supply pipe i3. The blowing head I3 may be provided with fluid discharge orifices or jet holes of a number, size or sizes, and locations deemed appropriate for the purpose intended. As shown, Figs. 1 and 3, vertical jet holes I9 are provided at closely spaced intervals throughout the flat top portion |31), upwardly and outwardly inclined jet holes 2li are provided in the rounded upper corner portion 13o, and other upwardly and outwardly inclined jet holes 2l are provided through the externally enlarged lower end portion 13a of the body of the blowing head.

The upper iiuid discharge or blowing unit, indicated generally at 22 in Fig. 1, comprises a hollow blowing head 23, a hollow horizontal supporting arm 24, and a vertical tubular connector 25 by which the head 23 is suspended from the supporting arm. As shown, the upper end portion of the tubular connector ts closely within a vertical opening 26 inthe botom wall of the hollow arm 2li, which is closed at its adjacent free end, and a suitable fastening device, such as the pin 2l, fastens the arm and connector together. lThe lower end portion of the tubular connector 25 ts within a counterbored upper portion 28 of a central opening 29 in the top wall 39 of the hollow head 23 and fastening devices, such as the set screws 3l, prevent accidental or unintended separation of the head from the connector. By this arrangement, the internal passage 32 of the arm 2li communicates throughV the bore 33 of the connector 25 with a chamber 34 in the upper part of the head 23.

A transversely extending horizontal plate 3% in the hollow head 23 divides the interior of. the latter into the upper chamber ed and a lower chamber 36. These chambers may, however, be4

continuously in communication with each other cooling-action of the cooling fluid throughout the surfaces of the cap, particularly at the portions thereof coo-led by uid from the lower blowing head. The tempered lid or other like glass article thus will have substantially the same temper at corresponding portions thereof, as throughout the angularly different portions of the skirt and of the corner wall of the cap. The cap, as a whole, will show a satisfactory temper when viewed in a polariscope. The strain pattern of the lid or top portion of the cap is substantially uniform, instead vof having a spotted design as sometimes noted in similar articles which have been cooled and supported by jets of air but have not been rotated during cooling.

, In order quickly to stop the rotation or spinning of the cap, after discharge of the cooling fluid from the upper blowing head has been stopped,

air runder pressure may be supplied through the passage '52 in the skirt of the upper blowing head tangentially against the periphery of the cap and against the lugs or fingers 43 so as to oppose and stop the rotation of the cap. This fluid braking means is effective to stop the free spinning of the cap without causing any injury to r it. Prompt removal of the cap from the lower ,blowing unit then may be effected by hand operated tongs or by any suitable transfer mechanism, none being shown.

In the form of cooling apparatus shown in Figs. 4. and 5, the same lower blowing unit lo may be used. The supporting arm 24 of the upper blowing unit also may be used. The upper blowing unit, now indicated at |22, comprises a hollow lowing head |23 having a tubular stem or connector portion |25 provided with an upper end portion secured in the opening 26 in the bottom.`

wall of the arm 24, as in the case of the cooling apparatus previously described. The blowing head |23 has a chamber within it, indicated at |2E, in open communication at its top with the bore i2? of the connector |25 and thence with the 'passage 32 in the supporting arm 24.

The blowing head |23 has a bottom plate |28 provided with outlets for the downward discharge of cooling fluid. As shown, these outlets comprise vertical passages |28 in the plate |28 and the bores |39 and ISM of short vertical tubes |3| f and l3la. which have their upper end portions fitting within the passages |29. The tubes |3|a have their lower end portions formed, as indicatedat- |32, to direct the uid discharging therefrom against the upper surface of the glass cap 41 at directions inclined from the vertical and oblique to radii of the glass cap so as to spin or rotate the latter about its own vertical axis. The bores |39 of the tubes I3! may be straight at their lower ends so that the cooling fluid therefrom will be discharged in a straight downward direction.

TheV extent of upward movement of the cap 4l by the supporting cooling fluid from the lower blowing head may be limited by a stop member its carried by and depending from the bottom plate |28 at the center of the latter. As shown,

this stop member |33 has a convexly curved orl rounded contact surface |34 at its lower end, which is located slightly below the level of the discharge ends of the tubes i3! and I3|a. Should the glass cap 4l be raised by the supporting cooling fluid from Vthe lower blowing head against this rounded stop member, it will afford a practically' frictionless bearing for the head of the cap at `the center ofthe latter. It will be understood that the rotation or spinning of the cap may be effected either with or without contact of its head with the stop member, according to whether the supporting cooling uid from the lower blowing head is effective to raise the cap against the stop member or to only a lower level.

The operation of the form of apparatus shownV in Fig. 4 will be readily understood. Each cap or other glass article, at a suitably high temperature, may be delivered to the lower blowing unit in any suitable known manner. The upper blowing unit will be brought to operative position above and in line with the lower blowing head, as shown in Fig. 4, as soon as practicable. Concurrent cooling of the external and internal surfaces of the cap, attended by spinning or rotation of the Vcap about its vertical axis, will then be effected in the manner and with the beneficial results hereinbefore pointed out. On completion of cooling of the cap, the upper blowing unit be removed by the usual operation of the supporting arm 24 and the cap then may be removed from the lower blowing unit in any suitablev known manner.

Various modifications of and changes in the illustrative embodiments Iof the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and herein described and in the methods of the invention as herein described will readily occur to those skilledl in the art and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details of such illustrative embodiments and methods.

I claim: 1. Apparatus for cooling hot glass articles comprising an upwardly facing cooling fluid discharge head, a downwardly facing cooling fluid discharge head located above and spaced from said first named head, said first named head being provided with discharge outlets for directing jets of cooling fluid upwardly so as to support a hot glass article to be cooled on said jets beneath the second named head, said second named head having discharge outlets for directing cooling fluid downwardly toward the thus supported hot glass article, certain of said out' lets of vsaid second named head being formed to direct cooling fluid in a direction to cause rotation of the article about its vertical axis.

2. Apparatus for cooling hot glass articles comprising -an upwardly facing cooling fluid blowing head, a downwardly facing cooling fluid blowing head located above and in spaced relation with said first named head, said first named' head having upwardly directed discharge outlets for discharging cooling fluid upwardly against the under surface of a hot glass article to support the latter above and out of contact with said rst named blowing head, said downwardly facing blowing head comprising a rotary plate having outlet openings formed therein for directing cooling uid downwardly toward said glass article, and also having outlet openings inclined from the vertical so that downward discharge of fluid therefrom wil-l cause rotation of said rotary plate about its vertical axis, and spaced glass contacting elements on the underside of said rotary plate for contacting with the glass article at places spaced angularly about its vertical axis to rotate said glass article about its said axis.

3. Apparatus for cooling hot glass articles comprising an u-pwardly facing hollow cooling fluid blowing head, a downwardly facing cooling fluid blowing head located above and in spaced relation with said first named head, said rst named head having upwardly directed discharge out-` lets for discharging cooling uuid upwardly geraete against the under surface of a hot glass article to support the latter above and out of contact with said iirst named blowing head, said .downwardly facing blowing head comprising a 4rotary plate having outlet openings formed therein tor directing cooling fluid downwardly onto fsaid glass article, and Aalso vhaving outlet openings :inclined 'from the vertical 'so that downward discharge of fluid therefrom will cause rotation of said rotary Vplate about its 'vertical axis, :spaced glass lcontacting elements lon .the underside of said rotary plate tor contacting with the `glass article at places spaced angularly about its vertical axis to rotate said glass :article about its ysaid axis, and lmeans 'for applying uid under pressure to the periphery of said glass article in a `direction to oppose the rotation of said article, caused `by the dischange fof iluid from said inclined l'outlet openings.

fl. Apparatus `for Ycooling 'hot glass v'articles Acorr-1fprising .an `upwardly facing hollow lblow-ing lhead provided with spaced jet holes for discharging jets ci cooling fluid against the inner #surface of a glass cap, `or like glass article, te support said article upon said jets, a downward-ly `facing-blowing head located above Yandi-n line with said upwardly facing blowing head, :said downwardly facing blowing head having a rotary member having 4spaced jet holes' 4for discharging jets of cooling .uid onto said article, and also having jet holes formed to direct jets of fluid downwardly in directions inclined from the vertical, said downwardly facing blowing head y:having a depending .annular skirt surrounding said rotary member Vand extending below the level lof the -upper portion of said article, .said skirt having a passage formed therein for directing luid vunder pressure against the periphery oif said glass article substantially tangentially thereof.

5. Apparatus for cooling hot Aglass articles comprising an upwardly .facing vhollow blowing head 'formed with spaced jet :holes inthe 'wall thereof for directing .jets of cooling flluid upwardly against a hot glass article to support :said article on jets out oflcontact with said blow ing head, a downwardly facing hollow blowing head located above and in line with said first named blowing head, said last named blowing head having spaced outlets for directing cooling fluid downwardly upon the hot glass -rarticle when the latter is supported by the jets from ysaid .iirs't named blowing head, said outlets comprising passages i-n short vertical tubes depending from the downwardly facing blowing head, ycertain of said tubes being formed :at their lower yends jto direct Icooling uuid discharging therefrom against said .glass article in directions inclined from the vertical and such as to cause'rotationof the glass article about its vertical axis.

6. Apparatus for cooling hot .glass articles comprising an :upwardly facing hollow blowing head for-med with spaced jet Aholes in the `wal-l thereof for directing jets of cooling huid upwardly .against a hot glass article to support said article on said jets out of contact with said iblowing head, a downwardly facing hollow blowing head .located above and in line with Said first named blowing head, said last named .blowing head having spaced outlets for directing cooling fluid downwardly `upon the hot glass article when the latter is supported by the jets fromsaid rrst named blowing head, said outlets comprising passages in short vertical tubes depending from the downwardly facing blowing head, .certain of said tubes being formed at their ,lower ends .to

direct 'co-'cling 'huid discharging therefrom against said fglass artic-le vin directions 'incl-ined from the vertical andfsuch as to-cause rotation of the glass article about its vertical axis, and a stop member depending from said downwardly `facing blowing head yand having a rounded lower -end surface located at 'a level slightly below the lower -ends o'f said outlet 'tubes rand above the center of said glass article.

7. The vmethod `'of cooling hot glass -articles which icomprises applying cooling fluid to such an article so as to lsupport the article by the cooling fluid .and 'rotating the article about its vertical aX'is while 'i-t is thus supported.

8. The method of cooling hot .glass larticles which comprises applying upwardly directed jets of air to `'such an article so as to V'support the article .at its Vunder surface on said jets androtating the :ar-ticle 1about Vits vertical axis while it is thus supported.

19. The method vof cooling 'hot `glass articles which :comprises applying cooling 'fluid to such an varticleso as ltofsupport the article at its Yunder surface bythe `cooling fluid, rotating the larticle about its vertical axis while it is thus supported and 'applying .additional cooling ii-uid to said article.

I0. The method of cooling ,hot glass caps and similar articles, which comprises ldischarging jets of sa cooling iluid upwardly against the linternal surface of such an .article 'to support the article by said jets, appl-ying jets of cooling fluid downwardly uponthe thus supported article, and rotating said article about its vertical axis dur- 1 ing the Aapplication c1" said jets thereto.

11. -The method of 'cooling het glass fc'aps fand similar glass articles 'which comprises directing jets vof cooling lluid under pressure upwardly againstsuch 1an article to cause the article to be supported Yby said jets, applying 'other jets of cooling `fluid to the .thus iiuidly ysupported ar-ticle to cool the portion .of the surface thereof `not cooled by said rst named jets, and .applying inclined jets of luid 'under pressure to 'said Afluid-ly supported article to cause rotation of the article about its vertical axis.

l.12.The method or cooling hot glass articles which comprises directing jets of cooling rluid upwardly against the lower surface of such an articleto cause the article 'to be supported by said cooling jets, rotating .said article about its vertical axis in one direction while it is supported by said first named jets, and vapplying a fluid braking force to the rotating article to stop the rotation thereof :when desired.

HUGH C. MA'CCONNELL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED 'The vfollowing references are of record in the file oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date Re. 22,392 Berthold Nov. .16, 1943 2,965,862 :Long Dec. 29, i936 .2,237,343 Frigels Apr. 8, 1941 @254,227 VLewis Sept. 2, 1941 2,375,944 IQuentin May i5, 1945 Number Country Date .450,464 Great Britain July 17, 1936 833,559 France July 25, 1.938 

